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Marcus Smart's Defense Continues To Draw Raves
by bobheckler Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:46 am
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4715022/smarts-defense-continues-to-draw-raves
Smart's defense continues to draw raves
October, 13, 2014
OCT 13 11:29 PM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Ever stoic on the sideline, there might be no greater in-game compliment that Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens can offer one of his players than a series of quick claps and a shout of encouragement.
That's exactly what rookie Marcus Smart elicited early in the fourth quarter of Friday's exhibition tilt in Toronto when he went hard to the floor to finish a flashy pickpocket of Raptors star Kyle Lowry.
Peter Llewellyn/USA TODAY Sports
Marcus Smart hitting the deck to beat Kyle Lowry to the ball was an early example of his stellar defense.
With the Celtics clinging to a two-point lead with just more than 10 minutes to play, Smart swarmed Lowry near the edge of the oversized midcourt logo and managed to poke the ball into the backcourt. With a step on Smart, Lowry should have easily retrieved the ball, but a hustling Smart took three quick steps before sprawling out in front of Stevens. Smart must have slid 10 feet, but he corralled the ball and came away with possession.
The sequence -- watch it here -- really only confirmed what we already knew: Smart is a relentless pest with NBA-ready defense. His natural talent on that side of the ball is going to give him every opportunity to open the 2014-15 season as Boston's starting point guard, and he still should have a significant role regardless of when Rajon Rondo returns from a hand injury.
Both Stevens and Smart acknowledge there's plenty for the No. 6 pick to work on moving forward, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, but Stevens did not skimp on the praise when asked to value how Smart has played through the first four games of the exhibition season.
"I think he's really done a great job in most every area," Stevens said. "Obviously, he's got to make shots more consistently to be the best that he can be. He can improve on the ballhandling errors that he's had, and those are things that we can practice.
"Then the defensive side of the ball, I'm still blown away by it. We really hammered on trying to be in great body position on Saturday, even with less than 24 hours to prepare for the Knicks. And he was in it every time. He has a chance to be a great defender, and we just keep saying that, but he's really done a good job."
Stevens wasn't done gushing.
"With Rondo out, [Smart is] playing more. But I anticipate him playing a lot of minutes for us," Stevens said. "I just think that, as you sit over there on the bench, you really have to find certain things that work for your team. You have to find the right level of aggressiveness, the right level of skill, the ability to score, the ability to guard. But you're inevitably drawn to guys that do the right thing over and over and over and over. It's just the way you feel as a coach -- you feel really comfortable with guys like that, and he does that. He's very consistent in doing that."
Through four games, Smart has logged a team-high 111 minutes of floor time. He's struggled with his shot, particularly beyond the 3-point arc, shooting just 24.1 percent overall (7-of-29) and 19 percent from distance (4-of-21), but the team expected growing pains there.
AP Photo/Jessica Hill
Marcus Smart introduced Carmelo Anthony to his tight, NBA-ready defense.
The advanced numbers on Smart's individual defense actually are surprisingly lackluster as well at the moment. But when you rewatch the game film, you notice that the total number of attempts by the player he guards is low, suggesting that opponents are more likely to move the ball away from Smart. And there's no stat that can quite quantify his impact (1) pressuring the ball and preventing opponents from getting into their offense and (2) how his work away from the ball is stifling the player he is guarding.
Smart has embraced the hectic exhibition slate that saw Boston play four games in six nights last week. The 20-year-old guard doesn't mind a heavy workload and believes preseason reps can only help him grow.
"[The game-heavy schedule] is perfect," Smart said. "A lot more time for you to learn before the regular season starts and get all the mistakes that you shouldn’t be making out."
This time of year, you'll often hear rookies talk about adjusting to the speed of the game or the increased physicality of NBA players who are bigger and stronger than their college counterparts. Smart talks with a matter-of-fact confidence when he suggests there's been no aspect of NBA play that has really surprised him.
Oh, sure, he acknowledges a need to improve and find better consistency, particularly on the offensive side, but he won't be overwhelmed by what the league throws at him.
Veteran Evan Turner, who is trying to defray the ballhandling load in Rondo's absence, said, "I think [Smart] wants to be really great," and has tried to offer advice whenever possible. Maybe the biggest thing that teammates have stressed to Smart is not to get down when his shots are not falling. After all, he can always lean on his defense.
Which brings us back to that play against Lowry in Toronto. What exactly did Smart see?
"[Lowry] kept putting [the ball] in front of me and -- Lowry is a great guard -- I just made a great play; that’s all it was," Smart said. "I saw a chance to take a chance, and it worked out for the best for me."
And going to the floor: Should we expect more of that this season?
"Definitely," Smart said. "I do the things that a lot of people don't want to do, like get on the court. All those little hustle plays. I try to make more hustle plays than the other guy or the other team that we're playing against and establish ourselves defensively."
His reputation preceded him, but the first four games of Smart's NBA career have only solidified his defensive status. Now he's just got to figure out how to leave Stevens clapping when the ball is in his hands on the offensive end.
bob
.
Smart's defense continues to draw raves
October, 13, 2014
OCT 13 11:29 PM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Ever stoic on the sideline, there might be no greater in-game compliment that Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens can offer one of his players than a series of quick claps and a shout of encouragement.
That's exactly what rookie Marcus Smart elicited early in the fourth quarter of Friday's exhibition tilt in Toronto when he went hard to the floor to finish a flashy pickpocket of Raptors star Kyle Lowry.
Peter Llewellyn/USA TODAY Sports
Marcus Smart hitting the deck to beat Kyle Lowry to the ball was an early example of his stellar defense.
With the Celtics clinging to a two-point lead with just more than 10 minutes to play, Smart swarmed Lowry near the edge of the oversized midcourt logo and managed to poke the ball into the backcourt. With a step on Smart, Lowry should have easily retrieved the ball, but a hustling Smart took three quick steps before sprawling out in front of Stevens. Smart must have slid 10 feet, but he corralled the ball and came away with possession.
The sequence -- watch it here -- really only confirmed what we already knew: Smart is a relentless pest with NBA-ready defense. His natural talent on that side of the ball is going to give him every opportunity to open the 2014-15 season as Boston's starting point guard, and he still should have a significant role regardless of when Rajon Rondo returns from a hand injury.
Both Stevens and Smart acknowledge there's plenty for the No. 6 pick to work on moving forward, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, but Stevens did not skimp on the praise when asked to value how Smart has played through the first four games of the exhibition season.
"I think he's really done a great job in most every area," Stevens said. "Obviously, he's got to make shots more consistently to be the best that he can be. He can improve on the ballhandling errors that he's had, and those are things that we can practice.
"Then the defensive side of the ball, I'm still blown away by it. We really hammered on trying to be in great body position on Saturday, even with less than 24 hours to prepare for the Knicks. And he was in it every time. He has a chance to be a great defender, and we just keep saying that, but he's really done a good job."
Stevens wasn't done gushing.
"With Rondo out, [Smart is] playing more. But I anticipate him playing a lot of minutes for us," Stevens said. "I just think that, as you sit over there on the bench, you really have to find certain things that work for your team. You have to find the right level of aggressiveness, the right level of skill, the ability to score, the ability to guard. But you're inevitably drawn to guys that do the right thing over and over and over and over. It's just the way you feel as a coach -- you feel really comfortable with guys like that, and he does that. He's very consistent in doing that."
Through four games, Smart has logged a team-high 111 minutes of floor time. He's struggled with his shot, particularly beyond the 3-point arc, shooting just 24.1 percent overall (7-of-29) and 19 percent from distance (4-of-21), but the team expected growing pains there.
AP Photo/Jessica Hill
Marcus Smart introduced Carmelo Anthony to his tight, NBA-ready defense.
The advanced numbers on Smart's individual defense actually are surprisingly lackluster as well at the moment. But when you rewatch the game film, you notice that the total number of attempts by the player he guards is low, suggesting that opponents are more likely to move the ball away from Smart. And there's no stat that can quite quantify his impact (1) pressuring the ball and preventing opponents from getting into their offense and (2) how his work away from the ball is stifling the player he is guarding.
Smart has embraced the hectic exhibition slate that saw Boston play four games in six nights last week. The 20-year-old guard doesn't mind a heavy workload and believes preseason reps can only help him grow.
"[The game-heavy schedule] is perfect," Smart said. "A lot more time for you to learn before the regular season starts and get all the mistakes that you shouldn’t be making out."
This time of year, you'll often hear rookies talk about adjusting to the speed of the game or the increased physicality of NBA players who are bigger and stronger than their college counterparts. Smart talks with a matter-of-fact confidence when he suggests there's been no aspect of NBA play that has really surprised him.
Oh, sure, he acknowledges a need to improve and find better consistency, particularly on the offensive side, but he won't be overwhelmed by what the league throws at him.
Veteran Evan Turner, who is trying to defray the ballhandling load in Rondo's absence, said, "I think [Smart] wants to be really great," and has tried to offer advice whenever possible. Maybe the biggest thing that teammates have stressed to Smart is not to get down when his shots are not falling. After all, he can always lean on his defense.
Which brings us back to that play against Lowry in Toronto. What exactly did Smart see?
"[Lowry] kept putting [the ball] in front of me and -- Lowry is a great guard -- I just made a great play; that’s all it was," Smart said. "I saw a chance to take a chance, and it worked out for the best for me."
And going to the floor: Should we expect more of that this season?
"Definitely," Smart said. "I do the things that a lot of people don't want to do, like get on the court. All those little hustle plays. I try to make more hustle plays than the other guy or the other team that we're playing against and establish ourselves defensively."
His reputation preceded him, but the first four games of Smart's NBA career have only solidified his defensive status. Now he's just got to figure out how to leave Stevens clapping when the ball is in his hands on the offensive end.
bob
.
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Re: Marcus Smart's Defense Continues To Draw Raves
by Sam Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:09 am
The writer accurately called it. He "confirmed what we already knew."
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Re: Marcus Smart's Defense Continues To Draw Raves
by steve3344 Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:10 pm
I know this is a thread about Marcus Smart's defense but I didn't want to start a new thread about one troubling aspect of his offense. I'm going to overlook his 24% shooting so far this preseason (10 for 41) but do we really want him to be taking over 75% of his shots from 3-point land? He's 6 for 31 (19%) from beyond the arc and it's absurd that 31 of his 41 FGA's so far are threes. Especially when his shooting is supposed to be the weakest part of his game. Is this Brad's game plan for him or is he doing this on his own? Either way it's ridiculous. Only the best three-point shooters in the league have threes being that high a percentage of their total shots taken.
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Re: Marcus Smart's Defense Continues To Draw Raves
by beat Sat Oct 18, 2014 8:41 am
Looking at his college time he was quite effective taking it to the hole.....I know this is a higher level but still, he is strong and can carve out space and has at least an average handle. Agree he needs to get closer to the basket....a lot closer. Those shooting stats should be reversed.
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